It's the fourth week since my graduation and I'm still enjoying running as much as ever if not more - on Tuesdays and Sundays I still enjoy Laura's company with the Stamina and Speed podcasts and my "distance" run on Thursdays is going great, I did this 10mile route this week: walkjogrun.net/routes/curre...
The only thing I'm worried about is my speed - my three Parkruns so far have been run in 27.14, 27.18 and 27.39 respectively - am I really getting slower and if so, am I over-training? I don't feel tired so I don't think so but...
Anyway, I'm about to head off to Parkrun and have a go and vanquishing that demon - anything faster than 27.39 and I'll be happy, anything slower than that and I'll be back here looking for advice.
Enjoy your running this weekend, enjoy your bodies and enjoy the city around you.
Best Wishes,
AHSx
Written by
ActonHighStreet
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Don't worry, just keep plugging away. You have only been running a short time so you have to build up your strength, lung and leg power, arms and everything and it takes time. It will come though.
I got quicker by following an asics plan for a race and it got me doing 3k interval runs. You run 3 x 1 k intervals as quick as poss. You walk in between the intervals to get your breath back.
I did these yesterday. I'm 57 but even I've managed to speed up. It takes time though
are you walking, cycling, swimming etc? I do fitness dvd's at home
It seems to me that your park runs have all been done in great times, so well done you. If the times had been in the reverse order, you might be lulled into thinking you could improve your time every week. But sadly the reality isn't quite like that. Does Mo run a pb in every race he runs? Is it realistic to improve your time by even 4 seconds every week?
There are all sorts of reasons why some runs are faster than others. Sleep, nutrition and hydration, how muddy/windy/wet/hot it is, how many people get in your way near the start of a park run, etc, etc. I'm sure you can think of more. So don't worry. Every now and then I'm sure your pb will improve. These are early days so there is absolutely no reason for you to think that you're not actually improving your fitness and ability to run.
Using a training plan might help - with the My Asics plan, you put in your pb and a date you want to aim for and it gives you a target time plus a strategy for preparing. Try putting a date in about 2 months from now, and see what it suggests as a target time. Then you can decide whether to do you own thing or follow the plan.
Thanks RNB - I have to say I'm not half as angst-ridden about my lack of pace as I sounded earlier!
I set off for Parkrun this morning, arriving at the Scrubs to find that an unseasonally freezing north-easterly was blowing. After having explained the course to a visiting tourist, I discovered that in celebration of their 200th run, the course was being run in reverse - with the muddiest, ruttedest section of what is already a very wet and muddy course being run uphill rather than down.
Given that alteration, the wet conditions and the fact that the lad who normally runs in front of me (who I was hoping to follow home) wasn't there, I resigned myself to not running a fast time this week and decided to concentrate on improving my form - and on not going over on my ankle in the mud!
However, as I struggled round in the slop, I was feeling pretty good and apart from turning the air blue when I caught my foot in the mud and went close to turning an ankle, I noticed I wasn't going quite as slowly as I feared. After the final corner, I put on the closest to a bit of a sprint I could in the wet and finished in what I guessed was just under 27 minutes, which I was delighted with.
Walking home, I couldn't help checking and re-checking my email until my result came through - 25.38!!!
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Just managed my first 5k 
Speed!
Nervous - first 5k tomorrow
Getting slower....but it's OK!
Thanks for Monday's advice!
